New Aston Martin Vanquish Volante overview: gorgeous GT simply bought even higher

Additionally they insist that the Volante is “the quickest, strongest front-engine manufacturing automotive on sale right this moment” and “the quickest, strongest open-top collection manufacturing Aston Martin up to now”. The numbers largely converse for themselves: 824bhp and 1,000Nm despatched solely to the rear wheels, through an eight-speed ZF computerized transmission. 

It’s simply one-tenth of a second slower to 62mph than its fixed-roof sibling, finishing the benchmark dash in 3.4 seconds and never slowing till it hits a frankly absurd 214mph. WLTP gasoline consumption figures are nonetheless being homologated, not that it’s more likely to matter all that a lot to anybody shelling out round £360,000.

As with the coupe, the twin-turbo V12 is the so-called “jewel within the crown” and the centrepiece with which the Vanquish Volante justifies its estimated (however nonetheless not confirmed) beginning worth. In a world of downsized engines and electrification, Aston’s flagship sits inside a quickly diminishing class of automobiles nonetheless obtainable with an atmospheric V12.

After all, the flexibility to decrease the roof – however nonetheless preserve issues calm, with the neatly-integrated wind deflector – solely brings you nearer to the theatre. That’s not one thing any 12-cylinder Aston lacks, however the Vanquish elevates this with a full, wealthy sound that, as with its smaller Vantage sibling, has an virtually muscle car-like really feel to it. The automotive we drove was fitted with the elective titanium exhaust, enhancing the expertise even additional.